Game board and apparatus



I Feb. 25,"1958 R. L. FRANK 2,824,739

GAME BOARD AND APPARATUS Filed 0010. 21, 1955 FIG-4 I INVENTbR. ROBERT L. FRANK.

United S t Pate 0.

GAME BOARD AND APPARATUS Robert L. Frank, Nine Mile Falls, Wash.

Application October 21, 1955, Serial No. 541,933

4 Claims. (Cl. 273-126) This invention is a game board and the apparatus for playing a game.

One object of the invention lies in the provision of a novel game of skill which I prefer to call Hazard and which has simple rules for playing and yet one which presents varied and interesting opportunities for skillful play.

of a game board having apparatus which is simply constructed and very inexpensive to produce.

Another object of the invention lies in the provision of a game board upon which the game is played by employing playing pieces movable on the board within defined limits, the movement and control of which is regulated by physical skill.

These and other objects of the invention will become apparent during the course of the following description.

In the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification and in which like numerals are employed to designate like parts:

Figure 1 is a plan view of the game board with a number of playing pieces and resilient paddles for driving said pieces disposed thereon;

Figure 2 is a longitudinal vertical cross section taken intermediate the width of the game board and showing a playing piece ready to be moved by manual manipulation of a resilient paddle;

Figure 3 is a transverse vertical cross section substantially on the plane indicated at line 3-3 of Figure l; and

Figure 4 is a bottom plan view of one end portion of the game board.

The apparatus used for playing this game consists of a game board indicated in its entirety by the numeral and which may be formed of any suitable material such as wood, metal, or composition, but also may be formed of cardboard or other stiff material if found economically desirable.

The board is provided with a planar sheet 14 which has about its marginal edge portions upstanding side and end walls 11 and 12. The upper face of the sheet is a flat plane surface 13 which constitutes the playing surface of the sheet 14. On its longitudinal median line, the playing surface 13 is provided in its marginal end portions 15, defined by lateral lag lines 16, with apertures 17 which extend through the sheet 14.

It will also be noted, especially in Figure 3, that the end walls 12 are provided with apertures 18 and 19. All of the apertures 17, 18, and 19 are larger than the diameter of the playing pieces, some of which are indicated at 20. However, the apertures 17 and 18 are substantially larger than the playing pieces 20, while the apertures 19 are just barely larger; suflicient only to admit the playing pieces 20 therethrough.

At each longitudinal end of the playing surface 13, I provide a receptacle 21. To provide space for the receptacle, laterally extending crossbars 22 are secured to the sheet 14 and thus constitute means for supporting the board upwardly spaced from the support surface.

Another object of the invention lies in the provision The receptacles 21 extend under the marginal end 1305 tions of the sheet 14 and communicate with the apertures 17 and also the apertures 18 and 19. Each recepposed. Figure 1 discloses that the outer end walls 24 are.

supported in parallel vertical grooves formed in the side walls 23.

Obviously one may incline the bottom walls 25 to cause any playing piece falling through an aperture .173 to slide to the outer end walls 24 if desired, but' in .the'

drawing I have disclosed a slidable bottom wall 25 which has on its outer edge a tab or extension 27 by means of which the bottom wall 25 may be manually grasped and slid outwardly to the dotted line position of Figure 2 for easy access to the playing pieces.

In Figure 1, the resilient paddles 28 are shown lying upon the playing surface 13 and in Figure 2 a paddle 28 is shown held in one manner of use. i

This game is a competitive game designed for play by two players. The object of the game is for each. player to score points by driving the playing pieces 20v through the apertures 18 or 19 in the end walls 12. The resilient paddles 28 are provided for this purpose. In the rules of the game, goals made by driving the playing pieces through the apertures 19 score three points whole those made through the apertures 18 score but one point. A handicap has also been provided in the form of the two apertures 17 in the playing surface 13. These are the hazards. Playing pieces falling through these openings result in a minus score of two points and are deducted from the score of the player.

Provision is also made for billiard and carom" plays. If a player knocks a playing piece 20 through any of the apertures 18 or 19 by striking it with another playing piece, he receives double the points ordinarily scored or two points for apertures 18 and six points for aperture 19. By the same token, any hazard made as a result of a billiard causes a deduction from the score of four points rather than two points. Goals or hazards made as a result of striking the side rails first and then passing through the apertures 18 and 19 score the same as for straight-in shots, but in addition, the player scoring receives an extra or free shot for each carom goal made.

After determination of shooting sequence by either toss or lag, as in marbles, the player shooting first selects five playing pieces 20 and places them anyhere on the lag lines 16. Using a paddle 28, he shoots the playing pieces 20 one at a time for the opposite goals or apertures 18 and 19. Any scores or hazards made are tallied at the conclusion of his round. Upon completion of the round the opposing player retrieves the playing pieces 20 from the receptacle 21 and repeats the sequence. The players continue to alternate until a game score of 21 has been made. It should be remembered, however, that the player shooting second is entitled to the last round at the conclusion of the game.

The paddle may be used in either of two methods: (a) by placing the paddle end on the counter board slightly behind the playing piece and using its resiliency when released from tension to propel the playing piece as shown in Figure 2, or (b) by placing the paddle end directly behind the playing piece and pushing the playing piece with a forward sweeping motion.

Patented-Febt2 5, 195.8

Having-thus described-my invention and its method oil use, I. claim;

1. A game board comprising a fiat plane surface defined by upstanding marginal side and end walls; means fordisposing said board upwardlyspaced from a support surface; s1idable receptacles one undereach end of said. plane-.surface and extendingbeyond the said end walls; said: plane surface having apertures therethrough communicating with said receptacles; and said end walls having. apertures therethrough and communicating with said receptacles.

2. In combination with playing pieces of a predetermined size.andiresilient paddles for driving said playing pieces, a. game board comprising a fiat plane surface defined by. upstanding marginal sideand end walls; slidable receptacles one at each endof saidplane surface and havingaa portion thereof; covered by an end portion of said plane surface and the balance extending beyond said end walls; said end portions of said planesurface having apertures communicating with said receptacles; and said endwallshaving apertures therethrough and communicating with said receptacles.

3. In combination with playing pieces of a predetermined size, a game board comprising a flat plane surface defined by upstanding marginal side and end walls; a slidable receptacle under each. end of said plane surface and extending beyond said end walls; said surface. having apertures in the marginal end portions communicating with said receptacles and substantially larger than said playing pieces; and said end walls having apertures therethrough and communicating with said receptacles and having varying sizes each larger than said playing pieces.

4. In a game board having apertures therein for the passage of playing pieces, receptacles communicating with said apertures each comprising side walls, a fixed outer end wall, and a bottom wall; said side walls having parallel grooves on their inner faces; said bottom wall having its marginal edges disposed in said grooves; said bottom wall slidably extending. outwardly through outer end wall; and an inner upstanding Wall secured to said bottom wall and movable therewith, whereby to move playing pieces in said receptacle to said outer end wall.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED" STATES PATENTS 961,714 Chase June 14, 1910 1,392,163 Hoffman Sept. 27, 1921 1,463,845 Ryan Aug. 7, 1923 1,507,256 Severe Sept. 2, 1924 1,593,284 Arges July 20, 1926 1,682,201 Thompson Aug. 28. 1928 1,942,429 Jacobs Jan. 9, 1934 2,095,482 Spicciato Oct. 12. 1937 2,097,670 King Nov. 2, 1937 2,390,458 Pedersen Dec. 4, 1945 2,658,755 Benak Nov. 10, 1953 2,714,152 Ackerman July 26, 1955 FOREIGN PATENTS 14,318 Great Britain 1902 513 Great.Britain 1906 

